Radio chassis and tube socket



May 8, 1951 1. H. PAGE RADIO CHASSIS AND TUBE SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1942 Irving 1?. Page a; y q

y 19-51 I. H. PAGE 2,551,630

RADIO CHASSIS AND TUBE SOCKET Filed Aug. 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J Irving H Page Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) Claims.

This invention relates to a radio chassis having a tube socket incorporated therein.

There has recently been developed a radio tube which is quite versatile in the art of ultrahigh frequency. From all physical aspects the tube resembles a lighthouse and is popularly termed accordingly a light-house tube. It was primarily designed to fit in the end of a coaxial conductor which provides a means for tuning the tube. This makes for a neat one-tube assembly, but when three or four of such tubes are incorporated to form a section of radio apparatus a very cumbersome unit results. The applicant has found, however, that by using a lump circuit tuning means and a box-shaped tube container, a very neat, compact section of vide a radio tube and circuit containing means installed in ships, aircraft or any other vehicle where such gear is subject to a mechanical shock or vibration. The design of the tube sockets is one feature of prime importance in the construction of the present gear. These sockets must be so characterized as to insure constant electrical contact with the associated tube terminals regardless of the shock or vibration the tube receives. They should also be positioned so as to render the tube immediately accessible for replacement.

Regeneration is another very common problem in ultra-high-frequency radio apparatus. For this reason it is highly essential that the various stages and circuits be carefully shielded one from the other.

It is an object of this invention to provide a radio tube socket that will facilitate tube replacement.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tube socket which will automatically compensate for deviations in the physical dimensions of a tube.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tube socket that will protect the glass envelope of a tube from breakage.

It is another object of this invention to provide a radio tube socket that will insure optimum mechanical stability and electrical contact of the tube. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a radio tube socket having a means for containing and shielding the input circuit from the output circuit associated with said tube.

It is another object of this invention to proally form the anode electrode.

which will readily lend itself to a formation of a plurality of such means joined together.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the particular type tube used in this invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view in cross-section of a cylindrical can containing the heater and cathode bias connections of the tube;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the particular type tube shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of my novel tube socket, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a receiver built up of shielded units employing the tube socket construction embodying this invention.

In particular, my novel tube socket is adapted to receive a radio tube having physical characteristics similar to those shown in Fig. 1. This tube is a triode, having annular ring type of cathode, grid, and anode terminals, indicated at 2, 6 and 8, respectively. Each of these terminals is of a different diameter, and is held in coaxial alignment by a pair of glass insulating shells 4 and 5. The cathode contains the largest ring terminal 2 and is positioned at the base of the tube; the anode contains the smallest ring terminal 8 and is positioned at the top of the tube, and the grid contains the intermediate ring terminal 6 and is positioned between the anode and cathode ring terminals thereby forming a step-wise construction. Hence the appellation, lighthouse tube.

The anode, in addition to having an annular ring terminal 8, is provided with an end terminal I which, as clearl illustrated in Fig. 3, extends inwardly into the tube envelope to actu- The cathode ring terminal 2 is not directly connected to the oathode electrode but is capacitatively coupled thereto by means of a built-in capacitance. Thus, for purposes of applying a biasing potential to the cathode electrode, a direct conductive connection thereto is made by way of the base prongs 3 bination of resistance [2 and inductance l3. One end of this combination is secured to the cathode connector 26, and the other end is secured to the inner wall of the retaining can 10.

Heater voltage is provided by way of a suitable concentric lead l6 which enters the base of the retaining can H1. The outer conductor of the heater supply line I6 is electrically connected through the surface of the can ID to one of the heater connectors [5. The inner, conductor of the heater supply line I6 is directly connected to the other heater connector [4. I

Reference is now had to Fig. 4 wherein the tube, seated in the base prong socket II and associated retaining can In, is illustratedas inserted in my novel tube socket, which "is here shown in cross section. Comprising the tube socket of the invention is a plurality of coaxially aligned flexible contact rings l8, l9 and 23, which are adapted to receive andfirmly contact the respective ring terminals of the tube. Each of these annular contact rings is made of suitable metallic material and is slotted in such a manner as to form a series of resilient fingers which provide good high frequency electrical contact. The first annular contact ring 18 is;adapted to receive and firmly contact the'metal retaining can I0, and is conductively secured to the periphery of a circular opening cut in member 11. Member I! represents the outer Wall, for example, of a completely Wall enclosed radio chassis, hereinafter described. The second annular contact ring 23 is adapted to receive and firmly contact the grid ring terminal 6, and is conductively secured to the periphery oi'a circular opening cut in member 22; which openingis coaxially aligned With that out in member ll. In the'case where grounded grid amplifier operation is desired, member 22 may represent a suitable shielding partition integral with the radio chassis, and designed to efiectively shield the input circuits associated with cathode of the tube from the output circuits associated with the anode of the tube. The third annular contact ring [9 is arranged to receive and firmly contact the cathode ring terminal 2, and is conductively s'ecured'to a suitable circular supporting ringZl which is held in coaxial relation with respect to contact members 18 and 23 by a plurality of insulators, two of which are indicated in cross section at. Supported in coaxial alignment with fcontact rings l8, l9 and 23 by means of, for example 'a suitable stand-off insulator which ishidden in the drawing, is a cup-shaped member 24 which is adapted to receive'and firmly contact the end terminal I of the anode. Cup-shaped member 24, like the annular contact rings i8, l9 and 23,is made of a suitable metallic material and is slotted as indicated at 25 so as to form a plurality of resilient finger contacts. Again, cup-shaped member 2 1, like annular contact ring I9 and associated supporting ring 2| provide a point of connection for the associated circuits to the respective electrodes of the tube.

From the above paragraph, it will be recognized that the annular contact rings l8, l9 and 23 are sufficiently flexible to automatically compensate for small physical variations in the dimensions of the ring terminals of the tube, and thereby provide maximum efficiency in electrical contact. It will also be recognized that by so spacing the annular contact rings along the length of the tube, a high degree of electrical contact can be maintained with the ring terminals 4 of the tube, even under severe conditions of mechanical shock and vibration.

For purposes of illustration, a top view of a high frequency radio receiver section, embodying the principles of the invention, is shown in Fig. 5, to which reference is now had. It being understood that the top cover of the assembly is removed so as to clarify the illustration. In

particular, three stages of radio frequency amplification 25, 2 i5 and 2'! are illustrated together with a converter'sta'ge 2B and a local oscillator 29. As shown in the figure, member I! represents the outer 'wall of the assembly in which the metallic retaining cans Ill are seated and firmly held by the first annular contact ring l8, as indicated in Fig. '4. In the amplifier stages 25 and 26, member 22, which supports the annular grid contact ring, represents a shielding partition integral with the rest of the chassis, and arranged so as to shield the input circuits associated with the cathode of the tube'from the output circuits associated with the anode of the tube. In the final stage of amplification 21, the anode, or ouput circuit, is enclosed within a section of the assembly bounded by partition 30, which -alsoencloses the converter stage2S, and into which the output of the oscillator 29 is'fed. I I

As may be observed fro'm Fig. 5, the'r'etaining cans l0 protrude from the chassis wall by such an amount as to make them easily accessible for facilitating tube replacement. Furthermore,

from Fig. 5, it becomes obvious that the primary elements ofthe chassis, includingthe outerwall member I7 and partitions 22 and 30 may be cast as a single integral member, to permit the practice of mass production techniques. Although I haveshown and described only a limited and specific embodiment of the invention, I am fully aware of the' many modifications possible thereof. Therefore this invention is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and the spirit of the appended claims. 7 I I t The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Iclaim: N, M

1. A radio chassis for receiving a vacu um tube having annular cathode and grid terminals'and an axial anode terminalcomprising a metallic cylindrical retaining can having means for receiving the base of said 'tube, a main chassis member having a side and apartition extending parallel thereto, an annular metallic ring member positioned parallel to and between said partition and side, said partition and said side each having a circular opening cut therein and coaxially aligned with said annular ring member, a separate flexible circular contact ring conductively secured to the periphery of the openings cut in said side and said'partition, anda cupshaped contact member supported in coaxial alignment with the circular openings in said partition andsaid side, the diameters of said circular contact rings and the spacing between the same being so arranged that when said cylindrical retaining can with said tube attached is inserted to a predetermined depth in said chassis, said cup-shaped member and circular contact rings associated with said partition said annular ring and said side will snugly contact and support said anode,grid and cathode terminals and said cylindrical retaining can respectively.

2. A radio chassis for receiving a vacuum tube having annular cathode and grid terminals and an axial anode terminal comprising a main chassis member having a side and a partition extending parallel thereto an annular metallic ring member positioned parallel to and between said partition and side, said partition and said side each having a circular opening cut therein and coaxially aligned with said annular ring member, a separate flexible circular contact ring conductively secured to the periphery of the openings cut in said side and said partition and a cup-shaped contact member supported in coaxial alignment with the circular openings in said partition and said side, the diameters of said circular contact rings and the spacing between the same being so arranged that when said tube is inserted to a predetermined depth in said chassis, said cupshaped member and circular contact rings associated with said partition and said annular ring will snugly contact and support said anode, grid and cathode terminals respectively.

3. A radio chassis for receiving a vacuum tube having annular cathode and grid terminals and an axial anode terminal comprising a metallic cylindrical retaining can having means for receiving the base of said tube, a main chassis member having a side and a partition extending parallel thereto an annular metallic ring member positioned parallel to and between said partition and side, said partition and said side each having a circular opening cut therein and coaxially aligned with said annular ring memher, a separate flexible circular contact ring conductively secured to the periphery of the openings cut in said side and said partition, a cupshaped contact member supported in coaxial alignment with the circular openings in said partition and said side, a means for connecting an input circuit to said annular metallic ring member, the diameters of said circular contact rings and the spacing between the same being so arranged that when said cylindrical retaining can with said tube attached is inserted to a predetermined depth in said chassis, said cupshaped member and circular contact rings associated with said partition said annular ring and said side will snugly contact and support said anode, grid and cathode terminals and said cylindrical retaining can respectively, and means for supplying said tube with filament voltage through said retaining can.

i. A radio chassis for receiving a vacuum tube having annular cathode and grid terminals and an axial anode terminal comprising a main chassis member having a side and a partition extending parallel thereto, an annular metallic ring member positioned parallel to and between said partition and side, said partition and said side each having a circular opening cut therein and coaxially aligned with said annular ring member, a separate flexible circular contact ring conductively secured to the periphery of the openings cut in said side and said partition, a cup-shaped contact member supported in coaxial alignment with the circular openings in said partition and said side, a means for connecting an input circuit to said annular metallic ring, means for connecting an output circuit to said cup-shaped member, the diameters of said circular contact rings and the spacing between the same being so arranged that when said tube is inserted to a predetermined depth in said chassis, said cup-shaped member and circular contact rings associated with said partition said annular ring will snugly contact and support said anode. grid and cathode terminals respectively.

5. A radio chassis adapted to receive a plurality of vacuum tubes each having annular grid and cathode terminals, and an axial anode terminal comprising a chassis member having a side and a plurality of partitions arranged in mutual parallelism so as to divide said chassis into a plurality of compartments, a single metallic partition extending at right angles to said first mentioned set of partitions and parallel to said side of said chassis, an annular ring contact member positioned in each of said compartments parallel to and between said one side and said single partition, a circular opening cut in said one side and said single partition associated with each of said compartments and arranged in coaxial alignment with the annular ring in each of said compartments, a circular flexible contact ring secured to the periphery of each of the openings in said one side, each opening in said single partition, a cup-shaped contact member associated with each of said compartments and coaxially supported with respect to the openings in said one side and said single partition, an output circuit contained in each of said compartments and connected to said cup-shaped member, an input circuit contained in each of said compartments between said single partition and said one side, and means for connecting the output circuit of each of said compartments to the input circuit of the next succeeding compartment, the diameter and spacing between the circular contact rings associated with each compartment being so arranged that when said tube is inserted to a predetermined depth in the openings in said one side, the cup-shaped contact member and the circular contact members associated with said partition and the ring contact member, will snugly grip said anode, grid and cathode terminals respectively.

IRVING H. PAGE.

No references cited. 

